Professor Paul Salveson is a historian and writer and lives in Bolton. He is visiting professor in Worktown Studies at the University of Bolton and author of several books on Lancashire history including a biography of Allen Clarke and his latest production Moorlands, Memories and Reflections. He also owns The Bolton Bicycling Bookshop. How did Boltonians celebrate ‘New Year’ in times’ past? From local evidence, it was with great gusto! Writing in 1930, ‘Old Boltonian’ (one of Allen Clarke’s many pen-names) said that Bolton is “unique among Lancashire towns in the fact that it celebrates the advent of New Year by ceasing work and holding jolly carnival.” Just to make it totally clear, Bolton was like nowhere else.
MASOOD Mufti was my batchmate, having joined the Civil Services of Pakistan in 1958, who retired in 1994 and died recently (Nov 10). He served as deputy commissioner in Lahore, Larkana and Loralai, and was commissioner of Rawalpindi.
While serving in the then East Pakistan, as education secretary, he became a prisoner of war in 1971, and remained in Indian custody for about two years. Before retirement, he served as secretary to the Government of Pakistan. Besides being an exemplary bureaucrat, he was almost like Abou Ben Adhem who extremely loved his fellow humans.
He was also a thinker and a writer who excelled in short stories and reportage. Besides Chahrey and then Chahrey Aur Mohrey, his last book was Do Minar which is a sad commentary on the performance of bureaucrats. May Allah keep his soul in peace.